Completely Intertwined
by Toya Kei
Summary: Prequel and sister story to Unholy Encounters. Angeal finds a mysterious woman in his apartment who claims she comes from the future. He dismisses her as being insane but soon finds there is truth to her words. The reserved man begins to fall for the woman over the years since their encounters are unpredictable and could happen at any time. Future lemon. Warm and Fluffy feeling. R
1. Chapter 1: Sweet Tooth

_**A/N: This is the prequel to Unholy Encounters! Sorry for the wait everyone. This is a Sister story to Unholy Encounters. First Chapter is just getting into it. Trust me, it gets better. There WILL be a lemon... or many later. Thank you to everyone who reviewed Unholy Encounters! I was not expecting that many people to be interested. This story follows Angeal more than it does Tifa.**_

Chapter 1- Sweet Tooth

* * *

"This next song is dedicated to all the ladies out there!" The loud booming voice of the radio DJ shouted. His voice carried around Angeal's small but comfy apartment. The dark haired man sat up at his kitchen table, rubbing rice paper up and down the blade of his sword. He knew he didn't need to continue polishing the blade, he had been done for an hour, but the act of taking care of his most prized possession was soothing. He absently continued to rub the blade, listening to the music on the radio.

The dark haired man did not recognize the song but bobbed his heat to the rhythmic beat. His bright azure eyes ran over the massive piece of metal. He could see his reflection in it. The Music stopped and the DJ came on once again.

"Alight! That was today's number one track! Now it's time for some SOLDIER news! There was a Sephiroth sighting last night at the Goblin's Bar. According to our sources, he is still unattached so ladies you better hurry before he finds himself a girl. But don't despair! If you aren't into the mysterious silver general you're in for a treat! Two new men have been promoted to First Class SOLDIERS along with Sephiroth. One of them has been called the Crimson General. His name is Genesis Rhapsodos. The other one has no nickname as of yet. His name is Angeal Hewley. And ladies we have an even bigger treat for you today! Sitting right next to me is the Crimson General himself who has agreed to do an interview."Angeal smirked a little. That was the real reason he had tuned to that station.

"Thank you, Johnny. I am ecstatic to be here," Genesis said. Angeal picked up on his slight accent. Only the people close to Genesis could identify it since he did a good job of suppressing it.

"A pleasure, now, why don't you start by telling us a few things about yourself? How did you end up joining SOLDIER?" The DJ asked.

"Angeal and I joined at the same time. When we were little boys we wanted to become stronger. I more so than Angeal. Back when we lived in a small country town called Banora I really wanted to join SOLDIER. Angeal joined only because I did. He didn't like it at first, but in the end, he did better than me on all the physical tests." Genesis laughed lightly.

"What do you do in your spare time?"

"I enjoy reading poetry and plays. My favourite is LOVELESS. I have the entire play memorized."

"What is your favourite colour, food, and animal?"

"Garnet, coconut macaroons, and it is not really an actual animal but I am quite fond of phoenixes. The idea of a flaming bird that bursts into ashes when it's at the end of its life and then is reborn from those ashes is fascinating."

"You know that you're going to get a bunch of wrapped boxes filled with coconut macaroons now that you've said that," The DJ joked.

"I figured as much."

"Can you tell us a little about Angeal?"

"In a nutshell, Angeal has always been about honour and pride. Like Sephiroth, he is not the social paragon that I am, but by no means is he a shy man. He is not the type to wear his heart on his sleeve and doesn't open up to very many people. He has an unbelievable amount of control over his emotions. If he is displeased with you, he isn't the type of man to say it or yell at you. He will never do anything that might jeopardize his honour which he values above all else." Angeal was grinning as he listened to his best friend speak. "He is quiet in nature, but strong in character. Every word he speaks is well thought out and most often has a hidden meaning behind it."

"From what I hear, he always appears to be mad. What is the deal with that?"

"No, no, no, he's hardly ever mad. Sometimes he gets irritated, but you'd have to know him for as long as I have to be able to tell when that is. It's his eye brows. They're drawn in a permanent scowl. He actually has a sense of humour, though it is quite dark."

"What is the relationship like between the three first class SOLDIERs?"

"We each have our own specialty. Sephiroth is the strongest of course. I am the most intelligent. Angeal is the perfect combination of strength and intelligence. Sephiroth and I tend to clash personality wise but Angeal is always around to settle any arguments we may have."

"Alright, now we'll be taking a few calls from our listeners. Here's Jackie from sector two."

"Oh my gosh! Is this really Genesis?" A high pitched female voice sounded.

"It is," Genesis replied, cringing slightly at her excited squeak.

"My friends and I were just wondering what team you guys play for?"

"Angeal and I both play for the home team but I couldn't tell you what team Sephiroth plays for. He has never discussed such matters with me. If I had to guess, I would say he pitches for the other team."

"Oh! This is a treat!" The DJ all but yelled as he interrupted. "There is someone on the phone for you General!" The man clicked a button so the person could be heard over the radio.

"Genesis," Came an exasperated male sigh.

"Sephiroth? Is that you?"

"I play for the home team," the man hung up the phone. Angeal couldn't help but give a chuckle. He had recognized Sephiroth's voice as well. The dark haired man had been surprised to hear it. Sephiroth was not the sort of person to care what other people thought. Angeals cell phone ran in the living room. He rose from his seat in the kitchen, putting down the rice paper as his bare feet padded into the living room.

"Angeal," He said when he picked up the small black and silver electronic device. "Alright, I'll be in tomorrow." Angeal hung up the phone.

Angeal ran a hand through his hair as he looked out one of the only windows of his apartment. He could still hear Genesis answering questions over the radio. The two had only been first class SOLDIERs for a month and already they had a fan club.

A resounding crack came from the kitchen followed by a crash, then the clanking of metal hitting the tile floor. He quickly ran back to the kitchen. The wooden table was crack in half, splinters of wood scattered across the floor. His sword had fallen next to the chair, there was rice paper everywhere. In the middle of it all, a figure in agony rolled and groaned. Angeal stood still as he watched the figure prop themselves up on their elbows, push up, and then stand.

A woman dusted herself off. She was wearing a white tank top underneath a leather vest, a pair of leather capris, and what looked like some the back of some sort of a leather skirt. His eyes travelled up her body to her long, dark chocolate hair. Her face was pale and heart shaped. The shape of her eyes made her appear as if she was from Wutai. At first he thought she had red eyes, but upon closer inspection Angeal found that her eyes were actually a deep chestnut with flecks of vermillion in them. He found her enchanting but that didn't change the fact that she was from Wutai.

"How did you get in here? Are you a spy sent from Wutai?" He took a defensive stance, his permanent scowl deepening.

"Ah, no," She said, her hands coming to rest on her hips. "I'm not a spy." Angeal watched as her eyes trailed down his body. He was only wearing a pair of navy blue jeans that hung low on his waist. He noticed her face turn slightly pink as she looked away, desperately trying to find anything else to catch her attention. She surveyed the sorry state the table was in. "I can fix that," she began to pick up the pieces of the table.

"Leave it, how did you get in here?" He repeated himself.

"That is an excellent question," She picked up the rice paper, stacking it neatly on the counter. "How about we go for coffee? I'll explain it over a nice steaming beverage."

"Are you another fan girl stalker?" He asked as he cautiously picked up his sword, moving it away from her.

"What is your obsession with fan girls? You asked me that last time we met. The answer is no, I'm not a fan girl." She folded her arms across her chest.

"The last time we met? Look lady, I've never met you before,"

The woman slapped her forehead. "Of course, I didn't use the church this time." She mumbled to herself. She took a deep breath. "Alright, it's inevitable then. You may want to sit down." When Angeal made no motion to sit, she leaned against the counter and began her story. "My name is Tifa Lockhart. We met last week but judging by your appearance, I would say it would be anywhere between five and ten years from now that that meeting will take place."

"What do you mean my appearance?"

"You're much younger than when I first met you. You're a little shorter, and you don't have as many muscles. Anyways, have this Materia that lets me travel in time. I have never used it on an object before. Actually this is my first time using it; my friend usually uses it on a building that our friend used to take care of. I didn't expect it to bring me to the object. In all honesty, I didn't think it would work because I wasn't sure if it was the right sword. You see, when we met, you had that sword but, I've seen the sword have two other wielders. I'm just glad that I showed up during the original owner's time and not during the time of the other two. That could've been messy since they both know my younger self."

"What are you talking about?" Angeal tried to comprehend her words but he hadn't the foggiest what she was saying.

"But, you've never met me so this meeting won't mess something up in the future, or in the past." She paced around the kitchen, "I've thought long and hard about this. How old are you? Usually I don't care about people's age, but I'm curious as to where and when I landed? Where is this?"

"You hit your head, didn't you?" He looked at the young woman sceptically.

"No I didn't, Mr Hewley. I would like to get to know you, if what happened between us was more than..." She couldn't meet his gaze. Tifa blushed darkly at the thought of their previous encounter.

"More than what?" Angeal asked, having an idea what she meant but wanting her to confirm his suspicions.

"Sex." She managed to choke out. An uncomfortable silence hung over them. Angeal's breath hitched in his throat as she uttered the single word. The dark haired man surveyed the woman. She was a little older than he was. She was incredibly attractive though. His large cerulean eyes travelled up and down her curvaceous body. Had he been a lesser man that was fuelled by his basic urges, he would've been tempted to ravish her right there in his kitchen.

* * *

The pair sat in a recluse diner near Angeal's apartment. Angeal held his French vanilla cappuccino in his hands. The man had asked for extra cream and sugar with it. He kept his head angled downwards so people wouldn't notice who he really was. Tifa took a sip of her peppermint hot chocolate. He wondered why he had indulged her by taking her out for coffee. She offered to pay for herself but he had insisted that it was a gentleman's duty to pay for the lady.

"I take it you have a sweet tooth," she smiled coyly at the larger man. Angeal looked up from his beverage. The sun was streaming through the window, illumining his partner. Her skin had a healthy glow about it. Her eyes looked like they were completely red. She didn't appear to be wearing any make up. Her skin was naturally smooth and her lashes were naturally thick. His eyes looked at her arms. She appeared muscular but still feminine.

"You could say that," He replied, remembering she had spoken. He met her gaze. There was something lying just beneath the surface of her eyes that Angeal couldn't place. When she had smiled, it had not reached her eyes. There was something bothering her but he was not the type of man to pry too much into other people's business.

"How old are you, Angeal?" Tifa asked after taking another sip.

"19," he said curtly. "And yourself?"

"24," She gave a small smile. "I guess I should tell you a little more about myself. I grew up in a small town called Neibelheim that sat at the base of Mount Neibel. I moved to Midgar when I was 15 and spent five years in the slums." The burnet took a small sip of her drink, relishing in the taste of mint and chocolate.

"What have you been doing for the last four years?"Angeal stared at her quietly. His bright cerulean eyes glanced over her lips that were still moist from her beverage. Tifa gave another coy smile as if she knew the secret to the universe and had decided to hide it from all that dared ask.

"You could say I was doing mercenary work. Or perhaps I was on a quest for revenge," She shrugged, her eyes glinted with amusement.

"Revenge?" Angeal quirked a thick eyebrow.

She waved her hand, dismissing the subject. "And what about you? What is your history?"

Angeal really wasn't comfortable telling anyone he wasn't well acquainted with his personal information, but something about her presence seemed to ease him. She was unlike any of the other girls he had met before. He had pushed the issue of her sanity to the back of his mind. "I was raised in Banora."

"Banora? Where's that? I've never heard of it." She cocked her head to the side.

"It's a small country village near Mideel that sits along the coast."

"Must've been nice to see the tides every day." She gave another half smile and he replied with a curt nod in reply. Tifa brought her hand up to her neck and began to work some of the muscles that had gotten stiff. Her hair moved to the side and a prominent, mustardy-green coloured bruise sat at the base of her neck on shoulder. Angeal couldn't help but stare. Judging by the colouration of the bruise, it was between 6 and 10 days old. Her slender fingers glanced over the spot and she winced slightly, sitting upright in her seat.

"Are you alright?" Angeal frowned, staring at her intently.

"Yea, just hurts still," She smiled sheepishly. Angeal got the sense that she wanted to talk more about how she attainted it.

"Is there an interesting story behind that? Perhaps something you got on your _quest for revenge_?"

"There is indeed an _interesting _story but no, it was not on my quest for revenge." Her complexion darkened as she averted her gaze. He took a long swig of his beverage as he waited for her to continue. "You gave it to me."

Angeal began choking on his drink, coughing violently and spilling the rest of his drink on the table. "What?"

"You gave it to me..." She repeated quietly, squirming in her seat a little.

"Alright listen, you obviously have some _issues _that you need to get over. I have never seen you before in my life, let alone slept with you. I think it would be best if you don't bother me again. Go home, I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours. I wish to be left in peace." He quickly slid out of the booth, attempting to remove the coffee from his leather jacket, white t-shirt and jeans. He was about to leave when he heard her fist slam down on the table. He turned to look at her. Her hands were clenched tightly. She was standing next to the booth, one hand at her side and the other on the table. She met his gaze, a blazing inferno in her eyes. Angeal wasn't ashamed to admit that he was a little intimidated.

"I'm not insane, Mr. Hewley." She used his last name again. She dug into her pocket produced a small envelop. She thrusted it at him as she walked past him. He glanced down at it. When he looked back at her he noticed she was gone. He hadn't heard her leave or even the door to the coffee shop open.

* * *

Angeal lay sprawled across the couch his living room. He had tried to watch television for a bit to get his mind off of things but this thoughts kept drifting back to the girl he had met earlier. Part of him felt bed for angering her while the other part didn't really want anything to do with her. He turned off the television and sat up. The dark haired man had changed into a pair of pale grey sweat to get out of the coffee stained clothes he had been wearing.

His gaze shifted to the envelop that lay untouched on the coffee table. The envelop had sat there for hours, his curiosity had finally gotten the best of him. He picked up the off-white package and ripped it open. Inside was an assortment of photographs. He pulled them out to look at them more closely.

The first one was of a young man with spiky blonde hair and what appeared to be mako infused eyes holding Angeals sword in an attack stance. His brow furrowed as he turned the picture over to read the inscription on the back. _Cloud. _He flipped to the next picture. This one was of three people, two men and a young woman. He easily identified the man on the far right as Sephiroth, although he appeared much older than the Sephiroth he knew. The man left had bright blue mako infused eyes and for a black, first class SOLDIER uniform. His hair was black and spiked backwards, a single strand hanging down in front of his face. The girl in the middle was very young, probably around 15 and had dark chocolate hair half hidden underneath a cowboy hat. He turned the picture over to read the back, _Zack, Tifa, and Sephiroth in Neibelheim. _

Angeal turned to the next picture and saw two dark haired men, one of them he recognized as himself and the other he did not recognize. The other man in the picture had a happy grin on his face while he had his arm draped around Angeals neck, Angeal frowning. He turned to the back. _Zack's Promotion. _The fourth picture was of Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth looking much older, standing outside of the SOLDIER headquarters. He flipped to the back but found no description.

The fifth and final picture was of the woman he had just met. She was a bit younger and dressed differently. In the picture she wore a black miniskirt with suspenders, a very revealing white tank top, and red, black and white fighting gloves. Her hair was much longer and tied at the end in what looked like a dolphin tail. She had a wide grin on her face as she stood on a victory pose of some sort. One of her feet was placed firmly on the corpse of a large, hairy enemy. Angeal scanned the photo, carefully taking in all the details.

He turned it over to the backside.

_Dear Mr. Hewley,_

_I hoped that you would take my word and I would not have to resort to using these photos from the future. But no harm will be done because they will disappear after several hours and no one will be able to see them. How the Materia works is that everything eventually returns to its original time. I cannot control where and when I land when I travel back in time but I hope to see you again soon. It might be hours for our meeting, it might be months. I don't know what will happen. Keep the sword with you and don't let it loose its edge._

_-Tifa Lockhart_

To say that he was perturbed would be a gross understatement. It just wasn't possible! Time travel simply did not exist. Or so he had come to believe.

* * *

_**A/N: There will be many more meetings... more erotic in nature. Sorry if you were expecting the first chapter to be a little lemony. Please review and tell me if you hated it or enjoyed it. This was to give Angeal some character development. If you like an alternate universe with Angeal and Tifa check out Fate of Men. It is much darker and set during a medieval era.**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Sweetest Apple

_**Chapter 2 – The Sweetest Apple**_

* * *

Angeal thrust his sword into the dirt. He plopped down on the ground and threw his hands behind his head and his back against the weapon. Water droplets fell from his hair onto his broad shoulders. His skin was moist and his swimming trunks were just starting to dry out. A warm breeze passed. The dark haired man smiled to himself as he felt the sun on his face. Sure the pond near his parents' house was no Costa del Sol but he wouldn't be able to visit his mother if he was soaking up some sun at the beach.

It had been a while since he had visited the woman who raised him and he needed a short holiday. He was a slightly hesitant about leaving Genesis and Sephiroth their own devices. The two had been at each other throats as of lately. Genesis had made it his personal mission to become better than Sephiroth. The silver haired general continued to humour him, not caring what it did to Genesis. Angeal shook his head and decided that those two needed to learn that not everything was a competition.

A bead of water ran down the side of his face, half evaporating and half absorbing into his skin. Out nowhere, there was a loud crack that shot right through him. Angeal jumped up to see a heap of cream, white, and black fall into the pond. Whomever it was thrashed around violently for a moment before their head broke the surface. Angeal couldn't help but stare. He thought he had just gazed upon an angel that had fallen right out of the Lifestream. His eyes travelled to her pale, plump lips that quickly and tried to take in air. Her chest heaved as she panted. Her skin seemed to radiate a healthy glow when the sun hit her just so. She looked up towards the almost blinding light. The woman's eyes appeared a bold emerald as she looked up. She turned to look at Angeal who had been gawking the entire time. Her eyes changed to a deep chocolate with flecks of vermillion, the overall colour appearing more red then brown.

She swam towards the edge of the pond where he was closest to. She got out of the water and stood in front of him. He glanced down at her now transparent white sun dress then back up to her face, not wanting to appear rude to this heavenly creature. Instantly, recognition struck him.

"Tifa?" He took a step back.

"What meeting number is this?" She gave him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Pardon?"

"How many times have we met?" She folded her arms across her chest, unintentionally accentuating her breasts.

Angeal swallowed lightly. "This is our second meeting."

"Damn," She frowned, looking away, and then sitting down on the grass. Angeal looked at the silver armlet she was wearing just below her bare shoulder. There was a large jade like, circular gem in it. She sighed heavily. "I like you more when you're older."

Angeal scowled. "I'm sorry to be such an inconvenience."

She looked up at him, craning her neck to make eye contact. She gave him a sweet smile, still not reaching her eyes. "It's just that you're more, _understanding _when you're older." She shook her head, changing the subject. "So where are we?"

"Banora," Angeal said looking around.

"Ah, the infamous Banora," She leant back, looking around as well. A prolonged period of silence hovered over them. The only sound was from the rustling of leaves on the apple trees in the nearby orchard.

"Are you not bothered by the state of your attire?" Angeal asked, looking down at her. From where he stood, he could see a generous portion of her chest beneath the transparent fabric.

"Are you bothered by it?" She gave him an innocent look.

"I once had a friend when I was who invited himself over every day to play. When we had snack time he always ate the apple slices, leaving me with an unfair amount. But I-." Angeal got cut off.

Tifa threw her head back and laughed loudly, the sound was whimsical and carried through the air. "You just have to say yes, Angeal. Will you please pass me that towel?" Angeal flushed slightly as he handed her the blue and white striped beach towel next to his sword. She unfolded the towel and draped it over her shoulders. "This is where dumbapples grow, right?"

"The real term is Banora White, and yes they grow here."

"So why call them dumbapples? Banora White sounds much classier."

"Because the trees produce fruit at random times during the year so the townsfolk dubbed them thusly."

"I see." Tifa looked out over the pond that had grown still. "May I try one? You can't get them where I come from."

"There's some at my parent's place." Angeal gestured back in the direction of town.

"Parents?"Her back straightened.

"This is my home town."

"I know, I just didn't think about it."She rose to her feet, still clutching the towel. "Can I meet them?"

"That's out of the question."

"This might be the only chance I get," She begged, taking a few steps closer to him.

"_Might be, _being the key words," Angeal folded his arms.

Tifa grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him down to her height, standing on her tip toes. "Then I will find them myself." She planted a small, chaste kiss on his lips before she bolted towards the town. Angeal stood there in shock for a few seconds while his brain tried to work out what had just happened. The dark haired girl threw the towel off her shoulders as she continued to run. She was wearing soggy converse that squished with every step. Angeal grabbed his sword, not wanting to leave it by the pond, and chased after her. He grabbed the towel she had discarded and threw it over his own shoulder.

She stopped in the town and looked around. People were staring at her but she didn't care. Her eyes travelled from face to face, attempting to see if anyone looked like Angeal. Angeal came up behind her, grabbing her around the waist with his free arm. She squeaked a little in surprise. He began pulling her away from the people that were staring.

"Thank you Mr. Hewley, but I am very capable of doing this on my own." She wiggled out of his grip. Angeal cursed lightly. She flashed him a bright smile, the first one to reach her eyes. She winked at him before she took off running again. She would run just out of his reach and turn to look at him. This repeated several times. "C'mon, why don't you want me to meet your parents?"

He caught up to her, "I don't bring girls home."

"Don't _usually _bring girls home or don't _have _any girls to bring home?" He tried to grab her arm but she moved out of the way, taunting him as she did.

"Angeal?" A matronly voice called to the pair. The two turned to see who had spoken. An older looking woman with black hair that was slowly turning grey was watching them. She had high bangs and low eyebrows like Angeal. Her face was adorned with worry lines. She was probably around 45 but she appeared much older. She wore a light green, knitted shawl around her shoulders, a white long sleeved shirt and a long dark brown skirt. She carried a basket on her arm filled with miscellaneous vegetables

"See? I told you I could do it myself," Tifa grinned at Angeal. The vermillion eyed beauty turned her attention to the woman before her. "Hello, I'm Tifa Lockhart, Angeals friend."

"Mom," Angeal nodded at the woman.

"Oh my," She clutched her cheek as her gaze shifted between Tifa and Angeal. "I'm Gillian Hewley."

"A pleasure," Tifa curtsied as best a she could, despite never having to do it before. She wanted to make a good impression. Angeal warily glanced down at the young women, she was still wet.

"You're all wet dear, what happened?" Gillian asked, concern crossing her features.

"I fell in the pond by accident." Angeal snorted. She wasn't lying, just neglecting a few details.

"Come, come inside dear. You'll catch your death of cold if you stay in those wet clothes." Gillian guided Tifa to their house just on the outskirts of the town. It was a small, but sturdy two storey dwelling. The doors and window frames were all made of oak and the walls were paved with white bricks. The trio entered, Angeal having to duck slightly to get in the doorway. This didn't go unnoticed by the women. "You know, Angeal wasn't always this tall. He was quite short when he was a child. But then a few years ago he shot right up and had to get all new clothes."

Tifa laughed lightly, glancing up at Angeal who looked uncomfortable by Tifa and his mother meeting. Angeal left the two of them to go change out of his swimming trunks. He went up to his old room where most of his things still resided. He settled for a pair of dark jeans and a black button up dress shirt. He ran a comb through his now dry hair. When he came down stairs he saw that his mother was alone in the kitchen, standing at the counter with a knife in hand. She began chopping the vegetables she had just purchased.

"Tifa has decided to stay for dinner." Gillian said over her shoulder.

Before Angeal could protest, Tifa emerged from his mother's room. She wore a long powder blue, lace gown. The sleeves were ruffled and the front cut across her torso tightly. She looked uncomfortable in it. It made her look more like an elderly lady then the young voluptuous woman she really was. The dress covered everything but her face and hands. The dark haired man looked away, chuckling quietly. Tifa shot him a death glare. "Don't you say a word." She said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"Yes, grandma." He whispered back.

"You left your dress in the bathroom to dry?" Gillian looked over at the pair.

"Yes, I did. Thank you for letting me borrow this one."

"It is no trouble at all." The older woman tossed some of the vegetables in the pot of water on the stove. "So, how did you and my Ange meet?"

Tifa moved to sit at the kitchen table. "We met in a church."

"Praying to the planet?"

Tifa laughed lightly and rubbed the back of her head. "No I was waiting there for a friend. I fell from the rafters and Angeal woke me up."

Angeal leant against the wall, surveying the girl thoughtfully. "You forgot to mention the time you fell through my apartment."

"Oh my, ponds, churches, apartments, you do a lot of falling dear. It's a wonder you weren't seriously hurt." Gillian put a kettle on the empty part of the stove to boil the water for tea. She turned and sat down at the table, across from Tifa.

"I seem to only fall when Angeal is around,"

"And why is that?" Angeal shot her a knowing glance, fully believing that she was a time traveler. He was testing her to see if she would slip up.

"I guess you just have that effect on some women," Tifa raised her eye brows at him.

"Angeal has never brought a girl home before. Are you in town on other business or did you come to be with Angeal during his vacation?" Gillian ignored that thought of her son being attractive to females, not wanting to think of her son growing up.

"I just arrived a little while ago. I can't stay too long, I have to get back to Midgar," Tifa folded her hands on the table. Angeal mentally applauded her cleverness. It was as if she couldn't lie. The girl seemed to divulge only the necessary information needed to sate someone's curiosity without going into detail. It made Angeal wonder how she had formed such a peculiar habit.

"And what do you do in Midgar, dear?"

"I own a bar and do all the administrative work for my friends business. He's a delivery boy with a lot of clients."

"You look familiar, I believe I've seen your face before."

"You may be confusing me with Eleanor Lockhart, we are related."

"That's it, Eleanor Lockhart. The musician. So you have a bit of Wutainese in you as well?"

"Yes, my mother was half Wutainese, much like Eleanor. She passed away when I was eight."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gillian clasped Tifa's hands within her own. "What about your father?"

"He died when I was 15," Tifa frowned.

"Poor thing, you had no one to look after you?"

"I did, my sensei dropped me off in Midgar. Then I started working in a bar, made some new friends, and met up with an old childhood friend. After a couple of years, the bar was destroyed and I built a new one with the help of some friends. I don't see them as much nowadays though, just on holidays. It's just the kids, my childhood friend and myself living there."

"Kids?" Angeal stepped forward, staring down at her. Something inside him was set off. He had not expected her to have children.

"My friends daughter and my adopted son." Tifa blinked at him before returning her attention to the other woman. "Both their parents died. Marlene, the girl was adopted by my friend Barret after his wife passed on. Denzel was adopted by an elderly woman living in the slums. She grew ill and passed away. Denzel was very sick when we found him, but he's much better now."

"We?" Angeal asked, taking another step towards her. He thought of the worst possible scenario where she was really married.

"My friend and I," It took Tifa a moment to figure out when he was so concerned. "Cloud and I are strictly platonic." Angeal relaxed slightly, going back into his corner. Gillian shot him a quick glance. "How long have you lived in Mideel?" Tifa changed the subject.

"Just over twenty years. Angeal's father was born here. Where did you live before Midgar?"

"Nibelheim," Tifa's expression faltered before she plastered a false smile on her face.

"How long have you two know eachother?"

"Two years," "A month." Angeal and Tifa both spoke at the same time with different answers. Gillian cocked her eyebrow at the pair.

"Two years? Has it really been that long?" Tifa tried to shake off her slip up with humour. "Time sure flies." Angeal placed a hand on Tifa's shoulder, causing her to jump a little.

"I think that's enough questions for now," Angeal said. "Tifa wanted to try some dumbapples. We're going to go pick some fresh ones from the orchard. They're better that way." Angeal left his sword in the kitchen against the wall. Tifa nodded at Gillian before following him out. The two walked towards a large cluster of trees. They stood at the base of a dumbapple tree. Tifa jumped to reach the apple that was just out of her reach. She grazed it with her fingertips but could not pull it down. Angeal walked over to her, he heard her swallow loudly.

The dark haired man reached up to grab the apple. Before he could take hold of it, Tifa Shoved him backwards. Angeal was forced to take a few steps to regain his balance. He watched the burnet jump several feet off the ground, much more than the average person could, and pluck the apple right off the branch. The words _independent woman _filled his mind. "Why are they called Banora Whites if they're purple?" She asked, examining the apple carefully.

"They're white on the inside, outside they also glint white if you hold them up to the light just right," Angeal eyed her suspiciously. Tifa rubbed the apple on Gillians dress to make sure it was clean before she cautiously bit into it. She glanced up at Angeal in surprise.

"It's really sweet," She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, that's why they're quite popular." Tifa held the apple up to Angeal, offering him a bite. Angeal shook his head, there was something about her he just couldn't trust. She was hiding something important. He wasn't one to pry in other people's business. He believed her, for the most part, but that did nothing to boost his trust. He was sure she had not lied to him, but her withholding information was all the same.

Angeal shifted his weight to his left foot and folded his arms. He cast his face downwards, his mind wandering back to when they had been by the pond. She had kissed him, a light peck on the lips. _Why did she do that? _He wondered. His mind went back to their first meeting when she had admitted that they had engaged in intercourse. His eyes drifted towards the curvaceous woman eating an apple and looking at the sky. A light blush formed on his face at the thought. Tifa looked over at him; he quickly averted his gaze, finding a sudden interest in his boots.

"You're cute," She said as she scooted passed Angeal, walking towards the town. She stopped just passed him. "Do I make you uncomfortable Mr. Hewley?" Angeal raised his head and looked over his shoulder. He did not reply to her. "I'm sorry. I've never actually been in a relationship. I don't know how I'm supposed to act."

"Relationship?" Angeal turned his body to face her.

"Is that not what we classify ourselves as being in? I come and see you, we go on dates, or at least, you take me on them later." She turned to face him, giving him a smile that did not reach her eyes. "I wish I didn't have to hide things from you, but if I tell you everything, we might not ever meet to begin with. But, then again there are some things that are better left unsaid." She paused to finish off the last edible part of the apple. "I want to show you something, you're the first person I've ever shown." Tifa walked towards him. Angeal's pulse began to race, he was a little nervous about what she was going to do. Tifa dropped the apple core on the ground and brought her hands up to the top of Gillian's dress. His mouth suddenly felt dry and his hands grew slightly sweaty. She pulled down the collar to show him the part of her chest between her neck and breasts, not enough to give him a full look at her ample bosom.

A vicious looking scar began just below her collar bone and disappeared between her cleavage. "It runs down to my side." Tifa padded the area she had just mentioned. Angeal stared at it for a moment, then he met her gaze, not wanting to be rude. "The reason I had to leave Nibelheim. I was betrayed and left for dead." She released her collar, her hands falling to her sides. She turned away from him, blushing in embarrassment.

"You should not be ashamed of your scares, they contribute to who you are and make you a better person." Angeal felt her uneasiness. He put a hand gently on her shoulder. "I have never been in a relationship either." He released her shoulder and walked passed her, heading towards town.

They walked in silence back to the small house. The sky was beginning to darken and Angeal barely made out the small puff of smoke coming from the chimney attached to the house. He pushed open the front door and graciously held it for the shorter woman. She flashed him a sincere smile. They were greeted by a delicious sent that forced Angeal's salivary glands to work overtime. He missed his mother's home cooking while away in Midgar.

There were three places set up at the table. Tifa tilted her head to the side. Angeal and Tifa took a seat next to each other while Gillian served them each a large bowl of stew. She seated herself across from Angeal.

"This looks delicious Mrs. Hewley," Tifa grinned. Angeal brought a spoonful of the stew up to his lips and blew on it, not wanting to scald himself.

"Please dear, call me Gillian." The woman said, breaking a handful of crackers into her dinner.

"Very well_, Gillian_," Tifa tested the way her name sounded coming out of her mouth, feeling slightly disrespectful of being on a first name basis with Angeal's mother. "If I might ask, where is Angeals father?"

Angeal and Gillian froze simultaneously. Angeal removed the spoon from his mouth slowly, lowering it back into the stew. He stared at the chunks of vegetables and meat within his mother's concoction. His whole demeanour had rapidly shifted.

Gillian cleared her throat. "He passed away a few months ago."

"I am so sorry," Tifa shifted her gaze between Angeal and his mother. There was a prolonged period of awkward silence as no one made eye contact with each other. The younger woman in the room reached under the table towards Angeals hand that was resting on his lap beneath the wooden surface. She gave it a warm, reassuring squeeze. Angeal glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. To his surprise, he found himself clasping his fingers around hers, squeezing them back. When he realized what he had done, he immediately let go, focusing all his attention on his meal. "Do you have any hobbies, Gillian?"

"I am a seamstress by trade, however I garden in what little spare time I have. Angeal's been a great help in the garden this weekend. There is not a single weed in my garden."

"What do you grow?"

"Cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, several different kinds of berries and I have one plum tree."

"Any flowers?"

"Roses, daffodils, tulips, lilies, delphiniums, camellias, and gladioli."

"Magnificent." Tifa smiled brightly, almost reaching her eyes but not quite. "What is your favourite?"

"Ginger flowers. I do not have any though, they didn't survive the winter."

"Pride."

"Pardon?"

"Pride, ginger flowers represent pride."

"That's right, do you have a favourite?"

"Orchids, my house is full of them." Tifa said without batting an eye. "People keep sending them to me. Although, cherry blossoms are a very close second. I can't grow a garden where I live but it would be full of white and yellow tulips and orchids surrounding a large cherry tree."

"That sounds wonderful." Tifa and Gillian continued to discuss a wide range of topics over the remainder of dinner. The dark haired man sat quietly, listening to them. When dinner was over Gillian began cleaning up. Tifa helped her by washing dishes. The two women continued to gab. Angeal wasn't sure if he was happy they were getting along so well or if he should be worried that they would talk about him behind his back. When the dishes were all dried and put away, Gillian excused herself for the evening.

The vermillion eyed beauty sat across from the azure eyed man at the table. He glanced up at the buster sword against the wall. He frowned slightly, thoughts of his father filling his head. Soft, warm hands over top of his and a soft voice like the coo of a dove brought him out of his thoughts. "Angeal? Are you feeling okay?" He met her piercing gaze. She seemed to sense his sorrow. "Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes it feels better to get things off your chest."

Angeal suddenly rose from his seat, startling Tifa slightly. "Come," he commanded, feeling out of character. He lead her up a narrow staircase to his room. He pushed open the wooden door to reveal a pristine bedroom. Everything had its place. There wasn't much in the way of personal effects or material wealth. It was a humble and modest sleeping chambers. Tifa stood in the doorway as Angeal approached his dresser. He opened a wooden box to reveal a stack of paper and photographs. His large hands fished through it until he was able to find the picture he was looking for.

He straightened his back and turned to face his house guest. The man handed Tifa the picture face down, unable to look at it. Tifa peered at the picture. The image was of an average sized man with a wiry build. He was sinewy and lean with dark auburn hair, slender and sharp facial features, and green eyes. She shifted her gaze from the photograph back to Angeal then back to the photograph.

"Is this your father?" She asked sweetly, not seeing the slightest hint of resemblance.

"So I thought," Angeal pulled the picture out of her grasp, tucking it back into the box and closing the lid with a click. "It's blatantly obvious that he was not my real father." Angeal strode over to the only small, white paned window in his room. He peered out over the dimly lit town.

"Your father is the man who raised you. Genetics have nothing to do with the love I'm sure you felt towards him." Tifa closed the door behind her as she stepped forward into the room. "Besides, you look like your mother. Who's to say that you didn't inherit most of your genetic makeup from her? Perhaps your father had a very small role to play." Angeal sat down on his bed, resting his elbows on his knees with his head hanging low.

"He died from overexertion, trying to pay off the debt he collected from giving me the buster sword when I joined SOLDIER. This was the only time I was able to get off to visit home." He clenched his eyes shut, feeling them grow moist. He breathed deeply, attempting to regain his composure. Tifa quietly walked up to him. She snaked her arms around his head and brought him to her breast. The side of his face rested again the fabric of Gillian's dress that adorned Tifa's bosom.

At first, he was shocked by her gesture but when Tifa began to run her fingers through his hair soothingly, he relaxed into her embrace. "We always carry those we hold dear with us wherever we may go within our hearts. Several people I loved dearly went back to the Lifestream as well." She murmured. Angeal wrapped his hands around her slender waist, pulling her in closer, seeking all the warmth and compassion she could offer. He unconsciously nuzzled against her breast. A strange, quiet noise escaped her lips. It sounded like a mewl from a newborn kitten. And It oddly aroused him. Angeal released her, she backed up immediately, blushing madly. "Sorry," She turned away from him, holding her hands behind her back.

"What happened?" Angeal asked, standing to his full height. She looked over her shoulder at the tall man.

"You mean you don't...?" She turned fully to face him. "Oh dear..." She trailed off, blushing furiously as some form of realization hit her. Angeal frowned, not understanding where she was going with her train of thought. She shook her head, laughing to herself. "Wow, I thought that because you were a first class SOLDIER that you'd have done _that _by now."

It suddenly dawned on Angeal what she had been talking about. He scratched the back of his head, peering back out the window, desperate for something to distract him from the uncomfortable situation before him. He felt a warm hand on his arm. He turned to look at her. Tifa pulled his face down towards her own. She pressed her soft, plump lips against his. She forced her tongue into his mouth, rolling it over his. He picked up quickly what she was doing and timidly followed her tongue movements with his own saliva coated muscle. His pulse raced and he felt a little light headed.

She pulled away and gasped for air. The vermillion eyed woman peered up at him through half lidded eyes. "I came here to spend time with you. What we do is up to you." She gave him a sly smile, reaching her eyes.

He turned back to the window. "A friend and I once got summer jobs when we were younger working in the orchard fields. One day our boss came up to us and asked me to drive the apple truck across town so the apples could be packaged and shipped to major cities. I had to decline because I did not know how to drive a truck."

Tifa chuckled lightly. "You could just say you didn't know. It's just odd that you haven't done anything. I figured girls were throwing themselves at you since you have that fan girl obsession."

"When I worked in the orchard, I was allowed to eat one apple a day. Out of the thousands of apples that were picked daily, I had to choose just one. I spent my breaks trying to find the perfect apple. I could never find it so I usually went home without eating an apple at all. Then one day I was resting underneath a tree, looking at the apples, when an apple fell from the branch above me and landed in my lap. It was perfect in every way. Soft to the touch, shiny on the outside, when I took a bite its juices were the sweetest I had ever tasted."

"I'm not sure what you're getting at, Mr. Hewley." Tifa folded her arms across her chest, accentuating her breasts. "You want to wait until you find the sweetest apple?"

"Yes."

"Alright, well, it's getting late. I'm not going to lie, I wore the sundress to seduce you because you said how much you liked sun dresses. This trip seems kind of pointless if you're going to look elsewhere for your apple." Tifa rubbed her temples. "Good night Mr. Hewley. I will be returning to my own time." She turned to leave.

"Tifa wait." He grabbed her wrist, yanking her back towards himself. "I believe that the wait made the apple that much sweeter."

"Or perhaps the wait made the apple seems sweeter, although it would've been the same as all the apples you might have eaten before."

He shook his head. "It was because I waited to taste its sweet essence that it was better."

"We're still talking about apples, right?"

Angeal grinned down at the girl. "If that's what you want." The dark haired man glanced over at the clock on his wall. "It's getting late, would you like to spend the night?"

"Spend the night or _spend _the night." Tifa wiggled her eyebrows, hoping that he would change his mind. The man walked over to his dresser.

"Just spend the night, no emphasis on spending." He removed a large t-shirt and a pair of shorts from the drawers. "Here, you can sleep in these." He handed her the set of clothing.

She nodded a thank you at him before beginning to hike up her dress. Angeal turned around immediately, giving her privacy. "You can look now," she said with a hint of bitter distaste in her mouth. Angeal faced her. She was holding the shorts in a fist around her waist, trying to keep them up. "So, where am I to sleep?"

"Here," He gestured to the bed in the corner.

"And where will you sleep?"

"Here," He repeated the gesture. "We do not have a couch or a cot or any extra sleeping arrangements since we never get guests."

"Ah," She said, making her way to the bed. As she did, she forgot to hold on to the shorts. They fell down her legs and pooled around her ankles. She stepped out of them, picked them up and folded them neatly. The woman shook her head, her dark locks swaying as she did. "They're too big, but the shirt is long enough." She said, pulling at the hem of the shirt that rest mid thigh. Angeal nodded. The woman clambered into the bed. He turned out the lights in the room. The only source of light was from the town outside his window which wasn't very much.

Angeal sat on the edge of the bed. He removed his boots and socks. The man pulled the shirt over his head and dropped it next to the bed. He left his pants on. He pulled up the blanket, scooting next to the girl, but no touching her. The bed was small, but there was just enough space for the both of them to rest comfortably.

"I've never heard about this kind of thing before," She said after a moment of silence.

"Sleepovers?"

She chuckled in the dark. "A woman pressuring a man for sex and him saying no."

"Hm." He replied. "This would be a first for me as well." His eye lids closed, waiting for sleep to overcome him.

"It was very brave of you to admit that you've never had sex." Tifa paused to wait for his reply. He grunted in response, not opening his eyes. "You have amazing self control." After a moment of Angeal's silence, he heard a loud huff.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, this isn't comfortable at all!" Tifa rustled around for a moment. Angeal felt her hand slide across his stomach to drape over his waist. She pushed her forehead into his chest. He was sure she could hear his heart beat quicken. In response to her movements, his body acted on its own, wrapping his own arms protectively around the smaller woman. He rested his chin on the top of her head, inhaling the sweet scent of orchids. It wasn't long before they both drifted to sleep. Her warm breath against his bare chest soothingly lulled him into a deep slumber.

The sun streamed into the window, landing across his face. Angeal shifted a little, not quite ready to wake. His tried to circle his arms around the girl, but found that the warmth she had provided him during the night was gone. In her wake was Angeal's T-shirt that was resting in his arms. He scowled at the shirt. She must've returned to her time in the middle of the night.

* * *

_**A/n: Ah sorry, it took a while, I got a new job... or just a job to begin with. My chapters are very long... (I don't feel like changing that because I like to satisfy people when I update.) OOOOO... Angeal is a cuddly teddy bear? AND a virgin? What? How cute. Tifa's the instigator? Perhaps next time Angeal will give in, indulging in the sweetest apple...**_


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